Thinking of this Bechstein Grand piano circa 1900

[lmadigan1971]

Looking at buying a piano
Any advise thoughts of any kind on this piano appreciated
They did say they were a little negotiable on price
https://www.brunswickpianos.com.au/forsale.php 

Thank you

[hfmadopter]

It says restrung and rebuilt action. That's fine if the tonal quality is what you like hearing. I'm sure the action is nice to play on.

The finish is french polish. You may or may not know that french polish in the traditional way of doing things is shellac. Shellac done in a traditional application of french polishing ( which is hand rubbing the finish on) produces a beautiful lustrous finish with a warm tonal character to the shine. Gorgeous if done correctly and labor intensive to apply. I shellac my clocks I build or I lacquer them but I spray the finish on. Neither here nor there same product in the shellacs case. However, one thing about shellac to beware of. If for some reason you say, put a glass of mixed drink, wine or even water down on the top or someplace on the piano, the alchohol can eat the finish, water clouds the finish if spilled and left standing.  Keep the finish heavilly waxed with butchers wax and the effect is not as fast and you have time to clean it up. Never leave a wet bottomed glass on the top of this piano. Otherwise it's a beautiful finish, again if done right. And it's not a fragile finish otherwise either, in fact shellac is very very long lasting. On my clocks it's fine, nobody is putting a mixed drink down on a wall clock.

Most pianos are lacquer finished or today even a poly and this is not a concern with those finishes. I'm sure the finish was selected to keep the piano in as an original state a possible, as around that time period lacquers were used less and shellac a common top finish for funiture ( you may remember seeing a ringed stain on some old end tables along the way, where a wet glass was put down without a coaster to sit the glass on). Lacquer was used more for black finishes though.

This is not at all a reason to not buy this piano, just be aware of this condition with the finish is all.

[iansinclair]

On shellac -- I might add that most better older pianos are shellac and french polished.  And the shellac is coloured.  And it is a first class bear to get a decent finish (not so bad on something small, but a piano lid?  Which is supposed to look like a mirror?  Argh...).

That said... now that I'm retired, I have to do something productive with my time (?) other than practice piano  -- so I am working on restoring the house I have lived in all my life to its original state, circa 1880.  And the floor finish is shellac (I brush it on).  I have found that it is amazingly tough.  Perhaps more to the point, damage, such as water or alcohol marks hfm mentions can be repaired on a shellac finish, with care (lots of care): I won't go into the full technique here, but it involves denatured alcohol on a wool pad, with a dab of mineral oil, and a VERY light touch.

So on balance... I'd say that a shellac finish is someting to be aware of, but not scared of.

[richard black]

That looks like a very tidy condition piano. Not sure about the age, but you can easily check that by looking at the serial number (I can see in one of the photos that it's there but I can't read it) and looking it up online - just Google 'Bechstein serial number'. The case design looks pre-1904 but the fallboard logo I thought was later than that. Anyway, 1900 give or take a decade, I guess. What size is it? I've got a 205cm (Model V) Bechstein from 1889 which is a stunner. They made superb pianos back then. Only thing where a good modern grand will surpass it is ease of very rapid repetition, but in terms of tonal colour a good Bechstein from then is as good as anything you'll find.

[keys60]

"rebuilt action".......that probably means somewhere between now and 1900. However, agreeing with Richard, the action does look to be in nice shape. Pins still blue, felt still fairly bright, bridle straps in nice shape. I'd say it was redone in the past decade. Put it through some long testing. Looks promising.

[lmadigan1971]

Thanks to all for your comments to date.
This site and its posts are fabulous.
Yes correct it was restored just over 5 years ago and early 1900s is what they have mentioned.
As for the question of its size I was told it was 7 feet 6 inches so just under 2.29m.
I have asked for the serial number as advised.
I hope to view it very soon.
I played on this piano 30 years ago at the convent it was bought from for my grade 3 music exam and was amazed to see it for sale just when I started to look.
The piano restorers wife said they bought it from the convent and have had it for sale for over four years since completing the restoration.
They started trying to sell it for 45000 Australian dollars and now are asking 22500 but may do a little better.
Look forward to any other comments or advise.